Gigabyte GA-Z170X-Designare

Next Generation 40 Gb/s Thunderbolt™ 3

Thunderbolt™ 3 – The fastest 40Gb/s single-wire connection

"GIGABYTE's Z170X-Designare is a poster child for the latest in Intel consumer PC technologies. The motherboard uses dual Intel NICs for LAN, Intel's Alpine Ridge controller for USB 3.1 and future Thunderbolt 3, and it even supports RAID of three Intel 750 NVMe SSDs. I don't think there are many Z170 motherboards with this level of recent technology, especially if you consider the 100W USB Power Delivery 2.0 support and the NVMe RAID capabilities. There isn't much the Z170X-Designare can't do.

Overall, the Z170X-Designare is loaded to the brim with the latest in innovative features and should prove to be decently future proof" - TweakTown.comLes hele testen her.

"Gigabyte bet early and often on Thunderbolt when everyone else was doubtful and now that the technology is in its 3rd generation, its use and potential as a productivity essential has earned the motherboard manufacturer the respect of many system builders, leaving other solutions far behind. Just ask users working in video or audio production and professional photography; Thunderbolt’s speed and versatility when it comes to display and storage is unmatched. Having triple NVMe PCIe SSD support via M.2, PCIe and onboard U.2 opens up further storage speed and flexibility as well." - Modders-Inc.comLes hele testen her.

Intel® Thunderbolt™ 3 Certified Motherboard
Powered by Intel's own Thunderbolt controller the new Thunderbolt™ 3 protocol, which is available over a USB Type-C™ connector on the back I/O of the GIGABYTE Z170X-Designare, brings an unprecedented single-wire bandwidth of up to 40 Gb/s -- twice more than the previous generation of Thunderbolt! This incredible increase in bandwidth is also accompanied with support for different protocols such as DisplayPort 1.2 and USB 3.1, which is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, opening up a world of new possibilities.

Daisy-chain Multiple Devices
Support for DisplayPort 1.2 makes Thunderbolt™ 3 a must have for any enthusiast. The Z170X-Designare is able to support two displays in 4K resolution at 60 FPS or one display in 5K resolution. In addition, Thunderbolt™ 3 over USB Type-C™ has revolutionary industry-first features such as Power Delivery 2.0, and the ability to daisy-chain up to 12 devices thanks to the Z170X-Designare’s dual USB Type-C™ ports.

NVIDIA® / AMD® / Intel® Graphics Support for Thunderbolt™ 3
GIGABYTE implementing Thunderbolt™ 3 allows users to utilize all facets of this technology. GIGABYTE’s unique design of incorporating a video input port, via Mini DisplayPort, allows users to take full advantage of their discrete NVIDIA or AMD Graphics Cards. By merging the performance of these discrete cards with Thunderbolt™ 3 users can now leverage the fast data transfer speeds and latest gaming technologies into a single Thunderbolt™ (USB Type-C™) cable.

Ambient Surround LED
Set the Color that Matches Your Style
Now offering more LED customizations than ever, users can truly adapt their PC to represent their lifestyle. With full RGB support and a redesigned Ambient LED application, the user has complete control over the LEDs which surround the motherboard.

Light Up Your Case to Match your Motherboard
With an onboard Pin Header for aftermarket LED Strips, users now have the ability to sync the lighting in their computer case with the lighting on their motherboard. By using the Ambient LED Application, included in GIGABYTE APP Center, users are also able to specify the lighting modes available and ensure that everything is illuminating their system in harmony.

Immersive VR
Gaming Experience
- VR requires 30% more performance than Full HD graphics for a steady 60FPS or greater.
- Only Gaming PCs can provide the best VR experience.

To create a seamless VR experience GIGABYTE Motherboards offer the best features to make your virtual reality feel like your actual reality.

With technologies such as Thunderbolt™ 3 to transfer data and video, NVMe support via M.2 or U.2, and a one piece metal shielding to brace for heavier discrete graphics cards its obvious that GIGABYTE has the tools you need to start your journey in VR. To set the mood GIGABYTE Motherboards include Ambient Surround LED to put you in the center of action.

NVIDIA® QUADRO® Professional Graphics Supports
NVIDIA® QUADRO® 3D Workstation Professional Graphics Solutions designed and built specifically for artists, designers, and engineers, NVIDIA Quadro GPUs power more than 100 professional applications across a broad range of industries. Professionals trust them to enable their best work using applications such as Adobe® Creative Cloud, Avid Media Composer, Autodesk Suites, Dassault Systemes, CATIA and SOLIDWORKS, Siemens NX, PTC Creo, and many more.

PURE SPEED, MORE POWER
Exclusively on GIGABYTE Powered Motherboards
The Intel® USB 3.1 controller utilizes four PCIe Gen3 Lanes, offering up to 32 Gb/s total bandwidth, for uncompromised transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb/s per USB 3.1. With twice the bandwidth compared to its previous generation, and backwards compatibility with USB 2.0 and 3.0, the much improved USB 3.1 protocol is available over the new reversible USB Type-C™ and the traditional USB Type-A connector for better compatibility over a wider range of devices.

100W USB Type-C™
Power and Charge From USB Type-C With Power Delivery 2.0 Support
Redesigned to take full advantage of all the features that USB Type-C can support, GIGABYTE’s new Z170 motherboards with Intel’s USB 3.1 controller not only supports USB 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1, but also completely supports Power Delivery 2.0. This means users are able to get up to 100 watts through their Intel powered USB Type-C port. This opens the door for users looking to clean up their cable cutter and power or recharge their devices through this universal connector, the Type-C Port.

Triple NVMe PCIe SSDs in RAID 0 Support
Extreme Performance with Gen3 x4 NVMe PCIe SSDs
GIGABYTE’s Z170 motherboards offers the industry’s best compatibility in terms of NVMe storage for users who demand high capacity and seek the best performance. GIGABYTE’s unique design supports up to three Intel® 750 Series NVMe PCIe SSDs which can be configured in RAID for record speeds of up to 3525 MB/s (Sequential Read), making GIGABYTE the obvious choice for the ultimate PC.

U.2 Onboard (NVMe PCIe Gen3 x4)
NVMe Performance for PCIe SSDs
The new Intel 750 series SSDs offer an incredible increase in performance over SATA drives. Using the NVMe protocol which takes advantage of the fast bandwidth of PCIe Gen3 x4 lanes (32 Gb/s), the drives are a clear advantage for users looking to boot their OS faster, load their games in a flash and access large files without waiting. By implementing the U.2 port onboard to support the 2.5” Intel 750 Series drive, GIGABYTE ensures that the users can benefit from the best performance.

Dual Hybrid Fan Headers
Precise PWM and Voltage Control for Water pumps or Fans
Many of today’s modern computers feature water cooling to ensure that the CPU or graphics cards stay cool and quiet while they are put under heavy load. In order to provide the best support for water cooling solutions, GIGABYTE has equipped its X99/Z170 motherboards with an additional water pump power header. This allows the user to have full control over two water pumps or fans. An additional benefit of these headers with GIGABYTE’s motherboards is the option to choose between voltage calibration or PWM modes.

Customization Features and Water Cooling Support

Support for DDR4 XMP Up to 4000MHz and Beyond
GIGABYTE is offering a tested and proven platform that ensures proper compatibility with profiles up to 4000MHz and beyond. All users need to do to attain this performance boost is to ensure that their memory module is XMP capable and that the XMP function is activated and enabled on their GIGABYTE motherboard.

What is XMP?
DDR4 memory modules are available at a stock frequency of 2133MHz, but as frequency tweaking requires a considerable amount of effort and knowledge, memory vendors encode XMP profiles which can automatically modify the timings of the supported memory modules to work with your CPU and to achieve increased performance.

Turbo B-Clock
Built-in Advanced Performance Tuning IC
Thanks to the onboard Turbo B-Clock Tuning IC, GIGABYTE Z170X-Designare motherboards enable overclockers to have the ability to change their BCLK frequency to a desired value of their choice. With the new linear range adjustment option of the Tuning IC, ranges from 90MHz to 500MHz are now possible, so that overclockers are not limited to the 5% ranges of traditional straps.

Anti-Sulfur Resistor Design
Sulfur compounds in the air can penetrate tiny onboard resistors creating chemical change and causing these resistors to open or short. If either of these occurs the motherboard will fail to function. By equipping resistors with an Anti-Sulfur Design GIGABYTE gives Ultra Durable Motherboards a whole new meaning.

Dual Intel® GbE LAN with cFosSpeed
The Dual Intel® Gigabit LAN with cFosSpeed features advanced technologies to help deliver better network responsiveness in crowded LAN environments and allows optimization and improved network performance for specific applications, making it a popular choice amongst gamers.

High Definition Audio Design
The Realtek ALC1150 is a high-performance multi-channel high definition audio codec that delivers an exceptional audio listening experience with up to 115dB SNR, ensuring users get the best possible audio quality from their PC.

High Quality audio capacitors deliver the highest quality sound resolution and sound expansion to create the most realistic sound effects for professional gamers.

GIGABYTE Patented DualBIOS™ (UEFI) Design
GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ motherboards feature GIGABYTE DualBIOS™, an exclusive technology from GIGABYTE that protects arguably one of your PC's most crucial components, the BIOS. GIGABYTE DualBIOS™ means that your motherboard has both a 'Main BIOS' and a 'Backup BIOS', Protecting users from BIOS failure due to virus, hardware malfunction, improper OC settings or power failure during the update process.

Long Lifespan Durable Black™ Solid Caps
GIGABYTE motherboards integrate the absolute best quality solid state capacitors that are rated to perform at maximum efficiency for extended periods, even in extreme performance configurations. With ultra-low ESR no matter how high the CPU load, this provides peace of mind for end users who want to push their system hard, yet demand absolute reliability and stability. These exclusive capacitors also come in customized jet black, exclusively on GIGABYTE motherboards.

Easy to Install "G-Connector" Design
The tiny cables of the front panel connectors can be hard to manipulate as space is restricted and indicators being tiny. With the G-Connector, you can connect all the FP cables at once, simplifying the process of building your next PC and saving you some frustrations.

ESD Protection for USB and LAN
GIGABYTE motherboards raise the bar in terms of protecting your system, providing advanced electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection for both your Ethernet LAN and USB ports, both common sources of ESD-related failures. Each LAN and USB port is paired with a dedicated protection filter that can withstand high electrostatic discharges, protecting your system from common electrical surges and even direct lighting strikes.

4 x DDR4 DIMM sockets supporting up to 64 GB of system memory
* Due to a Windows 32-bit operating system limitation, when more than 4 GB of physical memory is installed, the actual memory size displayed will be less than the size of the physical memory installed.

2 x Intel® Thunderbolt™ 3 connectors, supporting DisplayPort and Thunderbolt™ video outputs and a maximum resolution of 4096x2304@60 Hz
* Because of the limited I/O resources of the PC architecture, the number of Thunderbolt™ devices that can be used is dependent on the number of the PCI Express devices being installed. (Refer to Chapter 1-7, "Back Panel Connectors," for more information.)
* Support for DisplayPort 1.2 version.